Rekindling the Music of the Night
by KC Vaillancourt
Summary: Six years after the events at the Opera Populaire. Christine is in a loveless, abusive marriage to Raoul. After another fight that leaves her bruised. She admits to herself how much she loves her angel and wants to be with him. She decides to leave Raoul to find him. What will Erik do when she finds him? What happens when they become the prey of a vengeful Vicomte?


**Rekindling the Music of the Night**

By: K.C. Vaillancourt

Welcome Back! If you have read this story before I suggest giving it a second read because some things have changed. However, nothing that significantly changes the plot. This was finished about a week or so ago but I was delayed in posting it due to a terrible cold. The rest of the updated chapters should come quickly and then we will get back to new chapters.

**Warning -** I have a lot to say in the beginning before the story begins. If you want please feel free to skim it or skip it all together if you want to get right into reading. There is a line break when the story begins.

**Summary- **Six years after the events at the Opera Populaire. Christine is in a loveless, abusive marriage to Raoul. After another fight that leaves her bruised. She admits to herself how much she loves her angel and wants to be with him. She decides to leave Raoul to find him. What will Erik do when she finds him? What happens when they become the prey of a vengeful Vicomte? Possible OCC.

**Rating – **T

**Disclaimer - **You know the drill…I do not own anything associated with The Phantom of the Opera or lyrics of any songs I use.

**Authors Notes-** If you have read any of my other stories you know I don't go into great detail about certain things. I like to give my readers an opportunity to paint their own picture. I chose my words and scenes carefully so that my story is always moving forward.

I also like to warn my readers upfront. If you are a stickler for canon characters this story may not be for you. I try not to write OOC but depending on how my story flows it happens. I like to stick to the core of who I see a particular character as and go from there. However I do ask that you give my story a chance beyond chapter one.

I appreciate any feedback and listen to the opinions of my reviewers. I sometimes might incorporate ideas of my reviewers. I have to send out a special thank you to Filhound for your help in making my story better. I would love to hear from others whether through a review or PM. I respond to all my reviewers to let you know I appreciate them also to answer any questions or concerns you may bring to my attention.

I have loved Phantom of the Opera most of my life. I have seen the Broadway show and listened to the soundtrack countless times. Then once the movie came out I watched it over and over. This is my first try at a Phanfic. It is my own storyline of what could have happened after the movie ended.

**Time Period Warning – **After thinking it over I have decided to put out there upfront that this story may not be entirely historically accurate. I am trying to be as true to the 19th century learning and looking up everything I can but there may be some inconsistencies. Please keep in mind this is a story, a work of fiction, some suspension of disbelief may be needed. You can call it historical fantasy if that helps you, much like Pirates of the Caribbean was. As I said I am trying to be as accurate as possible but can't guarantee that absolutely everything will be.

I also may take some liberties as far as what was acceptable between men and women during this time period when it comes to Erik and Christine. I have always thought their pairing was more modern and a bit unconventional then the rest of society in that day and age. I have decided to keep to the spirit of that.

**I do edit all my work before I post and have people read my work but there still may be some grammar mistakes. I apologize for them in advance. **

**Story Note** – I am researching all versions of phantom of the opera so you may see characters from Leroux, ALW, Kay, and the movie in this story as well as my own original characters. As I was fixing one mistake I found others. I thought I knew these characters but had my own epiphany and realized I didn't know enough so off to researching I went. There may be some differences because there are so many variations and I still feel I need to put my own twist on them as well.

In order to write these characters doing them and myself justice I feel I have to have my own voice as an author along with my own style of writing to convey my story. I also have to live and breathe these characters as I write them. Living in their shoes in my mind which I do in any story I write.

In my research I have also encountered that the different versions of the story itself takes place in different times in history. For example the musical takes place in 1881 while the movie takes place in 1870. I am basing my story on the movie timeline so we are in the 1870's. In fact as I have said this story is set six years after the 2004 movie so the year is 1876. These are the ages of the characters in this Story –

Erik – 39 (33 in Movie)

Christine – 22 (16 in Movie)

Meg – 24 (18 in Movie)

Madame Giry - 43 (37 in the Movie)

Raoul – 27 (21 in Movie)

Erik's backstory may be slightly different as well. I have decided to stay with the 2004 movie recount of the gypsies. I have come up with my own backstory on how he came to be with them. Other characters backstory's may be different as well so here is your character AU warning.

Parts are in _Italics_ are memories/flashbacks. Parts in _**Bold**_are characters singing.

Enough from me, finally on to the story! Some people may like my story and some people may not that's ok. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Please review, follow, or favorite. I love to hear what people think. I appreciate all opinions even negative ones as long as the criticism is constructive.

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><p><strong>Epiphany and Departure<strong>

Vicomtess Christine De Chagny sat at her mahogany vanity brushing her cheek with tan concealer. She put down the makeup brush and looked in the mirror letting out a long sigh as she saw her reflection. Her curly brunette hair was disheveled. The bun she had put half of it in had fallen out. As she starred deeper into the mirror her eyes stared back at her. The sparkle that used to shine in them was gone. It had been for some time, ever since she left the opera house behind. She put on a good show and forced it to be there of course, when it was necessary.

When she no longer had to keep up the façade of being a doting loving wife the fraud in her eyes faded away. She wiped away a stray tear and as she did the concealer disappeared as well. Now you could clearly see where Raoul had hit her. She closed her eyes holding back more tears that were welling up threatening to spill as she thought about what had happened just moments ago.

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><p><em>Raoul came into their room as she was finishing getting ready for dinner. Christine opened a drawer to her vanity to grab a smaller make-up brush. She was about to close it when she felt Raoul's hand stop her. "What's that?"<em>

_ Christine looked in the drawer to see what Raoul was asking about. She froze when she realized what he had seen. Under some of her makeup she noticed the false bottom of the drawer had opened a bit. Underneath was the petal of a dried red rose and the hint of a black ribbon. She felt her hand begin to tremble and her heart race. Please let him leave this be. She thought to herself as she tried harder to close the drawer. "It's nothing."_

_ "If it's nothing why are you trying so hard to close the drawer?" Raoul asked trying to keep the anger beginning to surge in him under control at what he had discovered._

_ Christine let go of the brass drawer handle and turned to face her husband. "I am trying to get ready so we won't be late. What you saw was a simple memento from my days at the Opera Populaire."_

_ Raoul turned away from her and shook his head thinking about what he had just seen. He had been right about her feelings all along. He turned back to face his wife. Christine could see the fury burning in his eyes. "You're lying. It is a memento of him."_

_ She stood up trying to keep herself calm and walked towards him. "It has been six years Raoul. I lived at the opera house since I was seven and the building was on fire when we escaped. I saw the rose as we ran through the mirror into the Prima Donna dressing room and took it. It was an impulsive decision."_

_ "If that is the only reason, why have you kept it hidden in a false bottom of that drawer…?" He pointed at her vanity. "… For the past six years."_

_ Christine took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I know shouldn't have. I only hid it because I knew you would react like this." She tried to walk closer to him but he backed away. "I love you. I married you. There is no need for jealousy over a simple rose."_

_ Their room filled with Raoul's laughter at her naïve statement. "A simple rose?" His vice became more sinister. "Those roses were a symbol of his love for you. As far as Jealousy? What reason would I have to be jealous of that hideous freak?"_

_ "He wasn't a…" Christine began without thinking and never got to finish as she once again felt the sting of his backhand across her cheek. She nearly fell from the force of the blow but was able to stay on her feet. She held back tears as pain filled her face and she looked back at her husband. He walked closer to her and that's when she smelled the brandy on his breath. "Raoul, you're drunk, again... You should lay down and rest before we leave."_

_ She tried to take his hand but instead he grabbed her just below the shoulders and pulled her close to him so they were face to face. His grip was so tight she knew he would leave more bruises. "You say you love me. I don't believe you anymore." He shook her as he spoke. "Admit it. You love him." He whispered through gritted teeth. "You have from the beginning or you wouldn't have kept that rose hidden from me. I should have known. You never look at me or make love to me with the same passion in your eyes as you did when you were on stage with him."_

_ Christine could hear the disgust dripping in his voice and felt her stomach turn at the threatening look in his eyes. She thought with the grip he had on her she may be in for a trip to the attic. She steeled herself like she always did and answered him her voice holding no emotion. "I don't love him. I never did."_

_ "Your lips say no but your eyes betray you, as they always do when you lie. Your eyes changed when I mentioned him. I can see you're longing for him. Is your love for him why you won't have a child with me?"_

_ Christine tried to get out of his grip but it only made him tighten his hold on her. "I told you before I am not ready for motherhood. Before I have children I would like to return to the stage and si…" _

_ Raoul's grip on her arms tightened further and Christine nearly yelled out in pain but stopped herself. "Have you not learned your lesson yet? I have repeatedly told you to stop with that foolish notion of returning to the stage to sing again. You are a Vicomtess, music is no longer a part of your life." He pulled her closer. Christine noticed his eyes change from anger to lust as he looked at her. He let go of her arms as he began trying to untie and remove her dress._

_She tried to push him away. "Raoul please stop. We do not have time for this." She continued to try to fight him off but he continued, determined to take what was his. "No, Raoul, no. Not like this."_

_ He stopped as he heard her words. His mind flashed back to six years ago, in a cemetery surrounded by tombstones. The Daae mausoleum behind them. He had gotten the best of the phantom and was about to kill him when Christine said those same words. Oh how he wished he hadn't listened to her and killed him then. _

_ Christine trembled as his eyes changed from lust to an ice cold anger she had never seen before. "Right here Christine. This is why I drink. We have been married for five and half years. Yet when I want you to do your wifely duty you deny me what is mine."_

_ "I am not your property." Christine argued trying to get out of his grip. _

_ "You were alright with being his." Raoul hissed._

_ Christine stopped trembling as she felt herself becoming angry. She tried to keep her voice low so the servants wouldn't hear her but her anger got the best of her. "I was never his property!"_

_ Raoul laughed letting her go. He took a step back from her crossing his arms while deciding to dismiss her tone. "Is that so? I seem to remember the gossip after he arrived at the Masquerade as Red Death. He stole the engagement ring I gave you and said you belonged to him. Does that not make you his property?"_

_ "That doesn't mean I accepted that he thought of me as his. He was a misguided man and hurt after he lost me. He had a momentary lapse in sanity as we all are open to having if the right circumstances present themselves or life becomes too much to bear. I don't believe he ever truly wanted to own me. He wanted me to be with him, to care for him. He wouldn't treat me like a mindless trophy to be carted around France." Christine took a deep breath. "That is all you've done since the day we left his home. All he wanted from me was to love him and make beautiful music with him. Had I known then what you were truly like I would have never…?" _

_ The back of his hand made contact with her cheek again so quickly she didn't have a chance to protect herself and this time she fell to the floor. He kneeled down and grabbed her chin making her look at him. "Are you really so naïve Christine? You knew what the life of a Vicomtess would be like when you agreed to marry me. Never…ever insult me, mention that monster, or singing, ever, again. Do you understand?" Christine nodded not saying a word. "Good. Now get up and finish getting ready. I will be waiting for you in my study."_

_ Raoul let her go and stood up. He turned around walking towards the door. As his hand touched the brass knob he turned to look at his wife on the floor. "Carlotta was right about you. You are just like all the other chorus girls. A whore who was looking to move up." With that he walked out slamming the door behind him. _

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><p>Christine opened her eyes as the memory faded. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore. She let them fall freely down her cheeks effectively ruining the make-up she had spent a half hour putting before Raoul had come in.<p>

As she watched them fall she let her mind drift back to six years ago. The day after her and Raoul left her angel's lair she had regretted it. She wanted to go back and find him. If for no other reason than to apologize to him for what she did. But she found herself already trapped in Raoul's world. She realized now she had been since he came into her dressing room the night she replaced La Carlotta.

Once they came to Dijon to live in this mansion someone was always watching her. She realized if she had tried to find him it would be her fault if he was caught and hanged since the Surete were still looking for him as well. As hard as she tried not to, for six years there was not a day that went by that she didn't think of him and the magical music they had once shared.

She shook her head. Raoul thought of her merely as arm candy, no more than a trophy that he was proud to have won from an opponent. After they were married his true completely controlling nature showed itself. He would never let her go anywhere without an escort or himself. They went to endless parties or entertained friends in their home. He expected her to act like all the other wives in high society and adamantly refused to allow her to return to singing, never wanting music to be a part of her life again. Her one true passion and he denied her to ever go anywhere near anything to do with it.

The drinking and abuse began when he had brought up the subject of children not long after they were married. He wanted her to do her wifely duty, as he called it, but she didn't want to be a mother. Not yet. What she wanted, what she yearned for more than anything was her freedom. The freedom she had before Raoul reentered her life. When she was taking lessons from her angel of music.

As she continued to stare at her reflection watching her tears fall she finally allowed herself to admit that Raoul did have a reason to be jealous. She had kept the rose for more than a mere reminder of the opera house she had grown up in. She wanted, no, she needed a reminder of him, her angel.

Raoul could never evoke the same passion from her as her angel did. He knew exactly what that passion was. He had seen it first hand when they performed together before the chaos erupted in the opera house. She tried to wipe away her tears with tissues so she could redo her make up but they kept coming. "How did I not see it then?" She whispered to herself as she dabbed at her eyes.

She thought of her angel of music once more and stopped trying to wipe away her tears as a realization hit her. She did see it then but she had refused to acknowledge it. She was surprised that after everything that happened whenever she thought of him he was still her angel. Not the phantom or opera ghost. At the time she thought he was a monster after what he had done. He killed people. Not only that, he lied to her. He let her believe that he was an angel sent to her by her father. She knew she should hate him but in her heart she didn't.

Christine felt a bit disgusted with herself. Tonight for the first time she allowed herself to admit what she had tried to deny for so long. She never thought of him as a monster at all, even after everything he had done not only to her but to everyone at the opera house. She was simply playing the part she felt she had to play for Raoul and her manager's benefit.

When she kissed him that night she was herself and showed him what she really felt for him. That one kiss with him showed him what it was like to be loved. That's why he let her go. For her it was more wonderful than all the kisses she had shared with Raoul. She looked at herself and as she did she finally accepted the truth she had run from all these years. She loved her angel. She always had.

Raoul may not have killed people but he was the true monster wearing the mask. As that thought hit her the tears began to stop. She cleaned off her face and opened her vanity drawer to find a deeper color concealer. As she applied it gently to the red welt that had formed on her cheek she thought of all the times she had done this and put her makeup down. She put her head in her hands. "I can't do this anymore." Christine whispered. This had not been the first time he had hit her but she knew it would be the last.

She heard voices outside the door and got up, listening to what they were saying. "The Vicomte deserves better than Christine Daae."

"Rosalie! Hush, you are talking about the Vicomtess." The other woman said in a hushed whisper.

"The Vicomtess is not here. You hear the rumors the other wives tell when she is not around. If she were truly satisfying him the way a wife should why would he need to go to other women's beds." Rosalie said with a laugh.

"You know better than to give credence to such rumors because you fancy the Vicomte. There is no proof he has done such a thing. Now come, we have work to do." Their voices faded away as they continued down the hall.

Christine let her head fall on the wall behind her as she let what she had heard replay in her mind. She knew from the moment they arrived Rosalie fancied Raoul. It was the only explanation for her intense dislike of her before she had a chance to say hello. She didn't know why but found herself laughing. "After all I have been through how can I still be so naive. They may think of it as a rumor but I know in my heart it's true. Of course he would bed other women. If only to hurt me further."

Her mind was made up. She could no longer live the life of his prisoner. She pushed herself away from the door and went into the closet. She laid a leather suitcase on the bed and began to pack as quickly as she could. She grabbed the few casual day dresses she had, some personal items, and shoes. She went to Raoul's side of the bed and pulled back the black velvet blanket. She reached under the mattress and took the money he kept hidden there. She packed it along with a few precious items she did not want to leave behind.

She went back to her vanity and opened the false bottom of the drawer. She took the dried rose in her hand and starred at it before she put it in her suitcase. She closed her eyes as a single tear slipped down her cheek. She held the rose close to her heart and sang softly to herself as the black ribbon grazed her wrist. "_**Her father promised her that he would send her the angel of music. Her father promised her, her father promised her.**_"

After singing the sweet melody she decided it was time. No matter what it took or how long she had to travel, she was going to find her angel. She needed to see him, to try to make things right between them. If she could. She placed the rose in her suitcase and closed it. She took a pair of scissors and carefully cut herself out of the fancy dress she had been bound into as quickly as she could. She hid the remnants of her dress in the closet and put on a pale blue day dress trying to look as common as possible. Usually she needed help from the maids to dress but not tonight. After fastening her dress she pulled on a navy blue cloak and as quietly as she could she left the room.

She walked down the servant's staircase trying to be as silent as possible. She was about to open the service entrance door and froze when she heard a female voice behind her. "Vicomtess, what are you doing?"

Christine turned around and sighed with relief when she saw it was Marie, one of the other maids of the mansion. She was an older woman and reminded her of Madame Giry. She was the one maid she had become close with over the years. "Marie, I can't stay here any longer. You know what this life has been like for me. I can no longer be his prisoner. Please, you have to let me go and promise me you will not say anything to Raoul for as long as you can."

Marie could see tears forming in Christine's eyes as she pleaded with her. Then in the dim light she saw the fresh deep red welt on her cheek and held back tears of her own. She had come to love Christine like a daughter and hated to see her treated this way. She nodded and after grabbing a lantern she held out her hand. "I will help you escape Vicomtess, but where will you go?"

"Paris." Christine answered without a second thought.

"That is a six day journey from here. Possibly more. That is assuming you are going to travel by horse."

"It is the best way to travel inconspicuously."

Marie handed Christine the lantern. "Go to the stables. I will meet you there soon."

Christine nodded and walk out the door. As she waited she patted Cecile, her beautiful mare. She had a golden coat with a white mane and matching white tail. She put on her reins and led her out of her stall just as Marie arrived. "I have brought you a few provisions for your journey. We have to move quickly. Wash off your remaining make-up and put these on." She handed Christine a maid's uniform speaking before she could. "You will need a disguise if you are to travel the distance you plan to alone. A Vicomtess driving her own carriage would stick out like a sore thumb but a maid sent by her master to fetch supplies as you travel through different towns will help you stay as you said, inconspicuous."

Christine nodded and took what Marie offered her. When she was done Marie helped Christine hitch Cecile up to a small one-horse chaise carriage. Christine put her suitcase in along with the satchels Marie brought, plus some food for Cecile, and then got in herself. Marie handed her her lantern to hook onto the carriage. Christine pulled up the hood of her cloak up and took the reins in her hands. Marie smiled up at her. "Please stay safe. Do not push yourself or her to hard."

Christine nodded. "I'll stop in towns when I have to but I plan to stick to the woods as much as I can. Raoul knows too many people between here and Paris. I will sleep in this carriage. I don't care about comfort. All I care about is getting away from here." She smiled at Marie. "Thank you for all you have done for me."

"You're welcome." She looked back toward the mansion. "Please be careful Vicomtess. You know when the Vicomte discovers you are gone he will search all of France until he finds you."

"I'll be alright." Christine promised. "Now go back before someone notices you are missing." She whipped the reins and Cecile began to lead her away from the mansion.

As she rode away she felt the breeze on her face and smiled. She wasn't far away but she already felt free. She got to the end of the driveway and headed to the right, away from Dijon and towards Paris. She began to hum a song she had written years ago. The music began to fill her and as she rode she began to sing. "_**Now I'm all alone again nowhere to turn, no one to go to. Without a home, without a friend, without a face to say hello to but now the night is near and I can make believe he's here. Sometimes I sit alone at night, when everybody else is sleeping. I think of him and then I'm happy with the company I'm keeping. The city goes to bed, and I can live inside my head. On my own. Pretending he's beside me. All alone, I walk with him 'til morning. Without him, I feel his arms around me and when I lose my way I close my eyes and he has found me. In the rain, the pavement shines like silver. All the lights are misty in the river. In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight and all I see is him and me forever and forever. And I know it's only in my mind. That I'm talking to myself and not to him and although I know that he is blind. Still I say, there's a way for us. I love him. But when the night is over. He is gone, the river's just a river. Without him, the world around me changes. The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers...I love him and every day I'm learning. In this life, I've only been pretending. Without me, his world has gone on turning a world full of unhappiness that I have never known. I love him...I love him...I love him...but only on my own...**_"

As she sang she could feel herself becoming more like the woman she was before she was reunited with Raoul. The music lifted her spirit even though the song made her feel sadness in her heart. She never knew why she had felt the urge to write the song but knew it echoed what she felt about her angel.

The mansion got further into the distance and she began to wonder how she would find him. She had tried for years to get information on if he had been caught or not but could never find out anything. She hoped he escaped and was living a peaceful life. If he had been caught she was certain Raoul would have told her, if only to gloat. She whipped the reins wanting to put as much distance between herself and Raoul as fast she could before he discovered she was gone.

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><p><strong>Authors Notes-<strong> I hope you enjoyed the updated chapter. I will try to get the rest of them up as soon as I can.


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